Manila after World War II: The old Legislative Building that served as the Japanese headquarters and is now the National Museum (left photo) the Chinatown burning PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOHN TEWELL, FLICKR.COM
Indeed, when graduation came, the seventh-graders who were given charge of the ceremonies made sure that when the sixth-graders entered the auditorium the piano music from “Aida” stopped. They were then herded to the balcony where they watched the seventh-graders receive their certificates and their valedictorian giving the speech. The sixth-graders later got their report cards with a note that they had finished elementary and were eligible for high school.